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Tuesday, February 28, 2023

Bundle of Holding - Advanced Fighting Fantasy


I have fond memories of the Fighting Fantasy Solo Books from my early days of roleplaying. Unlike other series of solo adventuring (with the exception of Tunnels & Trolls) the Fighting Fantasy series had a very strong RPG feel. I guess this makes sense as to why a solo series was converted into a more standard-style RPG release.

The Advanced Fighting Fantasy Bundle featuring the Arion Games tabletop roleplaying game is based on the phenomenally popular Fighting Fantasy gamebooks by Steve Jackson (the British one) and Ian Livingstone. Originally published in 1989, and presented here in a .PDF ebook of its handsome 2011 Second Edition, Advanced Fighting Fantasy is a complete RPG set in the classic Fighting Fantasy world, with a fast and adaptable system ideal for beginners and well suited to long-term campaigns.

For just US$7.95 you get all four titles in this revived offer's Starter Collection (retail value $40) as DRM-free .PDF ebooks, including the Advanced Fighting Fantasy Second Edition core rulebook, the Heroes Companion: rules expansion, The Sorcery Spell Book (the grimoire from Steve Jackson's four-book Sorcery! gamebook series), and the monster book Out of the Pit.

Advanced Fighting Fantasy Titan supplementAnd if you pay more than this revival's threshold price of $18.75, you'll level up and also get this offer's entire Bonus Collection with six more supplements and adventures worth an additional $59, including the full-length campaign Crown of Kings, the Beyond the Pit monster book, the Titan setting guide (plus the Titan Map), the Blacksand city book (and the Blacksand Map), and The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, a full-length RPG scenario based on the first and most famous Fighting Fantasy gamebook.

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. 

DTRPGAmazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on AnchorYouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar

Monday, February 27, 2023

Kickstarter - FANTASTIC GEOGRAPHIC # 3


An RPG zine for all systems and none.

I love the guys from Silver Bulette. Seriously. In a completely platonic manner. :)

All of the Silver Bulette releases have a certain raw energy to them, with a willingness to not be what one might expect. Or something to that effect, it's hard to explain. heh

For example, look at the cover above by Chet Milton. It looks very familiar, and it should, and yet the more you look at it, the more you discover. Hidden pieces, and punchlines to jokes you may not have heard yet, but when you do, it morphs to another level. That's kinda my expectation with Fantastic Geographic #3.

We will be printing a 48 page digest sized 'zine.

This issue of Fantastic Geographic focuses on the theme of languages. You will find articles on:

  • Riddles and their use
  • Ciphers and how to include them effectively
  • An adventure set in a library
  • An adventurer for 5E involving a missing ticket, a forger, and a hermit in the woods
  • New magic items from McEwan's Mercantile
  • ..and more!

 The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. 

DTRPGAmazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on AnchorYouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar


Sunday, February 26, 2023

Why a Cancelled Kickstarter is a Good Thing

Why a Cancelled Kickstarter is a Good Thing
You might have noticed that I didn't post last weekend, but I was laid up in a so-not-American hospital being doped up on pain meds and NOT being treated for the reason I was admitted. Was quite the shi.....it sucked.

This last week I noticed a little bit of unexpected activity, mostly on Facebook, about a particular Kickstarter: Exwyn's Handbook to Heroism.

Now I'll admit this particular project holds no interest from me because...well I don't play 5E so I don't usually even give 5E projects a look, though anything that gives an option for solo play probably deserved a look from me (it's been too long since I slung dice).

I won't pretend to know all the in's and out's of running a Kickstarter, or the in's and out's of Pacesetter Games, but I do have a good opinion of those behind the latter (don't get me started on those behind the former!), and I'd rather see their projects succeed even if I'm not into them.

When I read the Facebook posts about them cancelling this project I actually had a good feeling about it, and while I can be a dick, please don't get me wrong I'm not trying to be one here so give me a little leeway. Now on the surface it looked like that Pacesetter was going to make their relatively low funding goal, but that the minimum funding wasn't going to cut it. These kinds of things get planned out well in advance, so things like the Hasbro licensing brouhaha can really muck things up. The end-run is that Exwyn's Handbook to Heroism was probably going to be too much of a resource sink for the small company and Pacesetter Games decided to "pull the plug".

So why is this a good thing?

In my experience the average gamer thinks it would be "awesome" to run a game store or be involved in a gaming company, but both are a lot of work and jobs........not 24/7 fun and games. Sure there are cool aspects to those jobs, but don't many jobs have cool aspects top them?

I like it when businessmen "do the math" and make smart business decisions. Pacesetter Games realized that they wouldn't be able to complete Exwyn's Handbook to Heroism to the level of quality they wanted and instead of putting out a (my words) shittier product, they cancelled the project.

Now long-time readers of the Tavern have undoubtedly heard about numerous Kickstarters where the product was either shitty, or never delivered......sometimes a little bit of both! Ok, like a little bit of the project was delivered and that little bit sucks.

One thing I learned in school was that with product development you can, at best, choose two of three factors: cost, quality, time. You can have a quick and quality product, but it'll cost a lot of money. You want low cost and high quality? It'll take forever....you get the idea. Pacesetter games could probably deliver a high-quality product in a decent amount of time, but the resources (cost) just wasn't there and instead of delivering a crappy product or taking forever, since the cost was fixed, they made a wise choice.

I know Erik has blasted a few (I'd dare say idiots) who have made unwise Kickstarter decisions, as have I, but we generally don't say good things about those who make wise ones.

Saturday, February 25, 2023

God Bless James Shields re: Jonathan Thompson Funeral Fund


As I was winding down Day 3 of Total Con at the Best Western hotel bar with Rach and a few other friends, I received a PM from James Shields. Yes, James Shields the artist and prominent member of the OSR Community.

I've known James Shields for a number of years. It is his art that graces the cover of SWCL 1e and will grace the cover of CL 2e. James is an amazing artist and simply a very good person.

In any case, James asked me if the $250 matching goal had been met for the Jonathan Thompson Funeral Fund. I told him, it had not yet been met, with $50 of matching funds raised thus far.

Well, James decided to correct that deficiency, and immediately donated $200 to meet the matching goal.

Now, if James can be generous, so can The Tavern. I'll leave the matching offer open until February 28th, and will now match the first $500 raised by members of the community. Here's the link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/jonathan-thompson-funeral-fund. Let me know in the comments below if you donate or email me at tenkarsDOTtavernAT if you wish to remain anonymous.

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. 

DTRPGAmazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on AnchorYouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar 

Friday, February 24, 2023

Death Notice - Johnathan M Thompson (Battlefield Press)

Johnathan M Thompson, brother of Adam Thompson, publisher at Battlefield Press, passed earlier this week.

Adam shared the following about his brother on Facebook:

Today my heart has shattered into a million pieces. My big brother Jonathan M. Thompson passed away today at the age of 51. My life will never be the same. Jonathan was a historian with a Bachelors and Masters from ULM, a prolific game writer, the owner of Battlefield Press and an avid gamer. He taught me D&D four decades ago on our families farmland in Arkansas so he would have someone to play the game with. His love and subsequently my love of the hobby grew from there. 

My greatest critic, my biggest supporter. My first friend and my lifelong battle buddy against the world. He was a son, a father but most importantly my big brother and I really have no idea what I will do without him.

Joe Bloch is donating 30 days of profits from the 5e conversion of Castle of the Mad Archmage to help with expenses related to Johnathan's passing.

As you may have heard, Jonathan M. Thompson passed away recently. He was the gentleman who did the conversion of Castle of the Mad Archmage to 5th Edition D&D, and was well-known in many gaming circles. 

To honor his memory, 100% of the profits from the sales of the Castle of the Mad Archmage 5th Edition adventure book (and bundles that contain it) for the next 30 days will be donated to his family, through his younger brother Adam R Thompson.

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/342738/Castle-of-the-Mad-Archmage-5E-Edition-Print-Bundle-BUNDLE

His brother, Adam, has set up a GoFundMe to assist in funeral expenses: 

Hi, my name is Adam Thompson.

I'm fundraising for the funeral expenses of my brother, Jonathan Thompson, who passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, February 20, 2023.

Jonathan owned Battlefield Press International, a tabletop roleplaying game company, and had many friends in the industry.

I'm starting this fundraiser because Jonathan had no life insurance, and the family is facing financial hardship. Anything you can do to help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/jonathan-thompson-funeral-fund

The Tavern will match the first $250, dollar for dollar, raised by The Tavern's Community Members by March 3, 2023. Please indicate in the comments to this post how much you donated. If you wish to remain completely anonymous, email me at tenkarsDOTtavern at that gmail thing. Please put GoFundMe in the subject line.


Thursday, February 23, 2023

TotalCon 2023 - Day One

Returning to the scene of the crime! TotalCon 2023!


I can't thank Steven & Angelia Parenteau enough for going out of their way to make sure Rach and I returned to TotalCon this year.

For those that don't know the history, while 2020 was generally known as The Year of Covid, for me it was literally a year of life or death, and the road to healing started at TotalCon in 2020.

I came down with an upper respiratory infection that weekend and left the con early (my first con crud in many years of convention attendance). After 2 weeks, the URI progressed to pneumonia and sepsis and a short hospital stay as Covid kicked off, followed by Congestive Heart Failure over the course of nearly 2 months before seeking medical attention (and getting hospitalized 12 hours after my hospital opened a Covid Free Wing). 3 weeks and 3 stents later, and after losing over 60 pounds of water weight, I was home with a new lease on life and a new awareness.

I was told by my Heart Failure Specialist at the time that my CHF was set off by my pneumonia and sepsis, which in turn were set off by my URI. Without that specific chain of events, I likely would have simply not awoken one morning from straight-up heart failure, as my heart had been damaged over a decade prior from chemo and radiation treatment for Hodgekin's Lymphoma.

I am a healthier and happier individual for the trials and troubles of 2020, and if it weren't for TotalCon 2020, I might not have been around to attend this year's convention.

I can play my RPGs on a VTT, but I get to socialize and connect with the gaming community at conventions like TotalCon, NTRPG, and others. Heck, it may even save your life in a most roundabout way too ;)



Tuesday, February 21, 2023

Kickstarter - Legend of Keepers 5E Reverse Dungeon and STL Miniatures (not The Folio)


It seems like everywhere I turn, someone is telling me in no uncertain terms that I need a 3d printer. One of the first, and loudest, to proclaim such was likely Fat Dragon Games, but there have been many others since. Now, with Scott Taylor's latest Kickstarter, which is certainly NOT another release in The Folio series, we have Legend of Keepers 5E Reverse Dungeon and STL Miniatures. My God but the STL minis are amazing.

Legend of Keepers is a 5E compatible series of four unique reverse dungeon adventures inspired by the Legend of Keepers video game by Goblinz Studio.  Building on the video game’s ingenious theme of a monster-driven company defending its net worth of dungeons from marauding heroes, this campaign fully creates a 5E experience in which players can decide if they would rather play each dungeon as heroes or monsters, or both, even going so far as competing against each other in role-playing teams!  

The campaign features an incredible array of heroes and monsters, all fully rendered as epic printable minis that can be placed in 3D printable dungeons.  Each dungeon is a unique setting within the Legend of Keepers world but can be easily relocated to any fantasy setting a DM desires. Legend of Keepers is designed for customization with replayability at its heart.




Kickstarter - STRANGERS - 10 Adventures For £10 (5e and OSR)

NPCs & Adventures for D&D (Dungeons and Dragons) 5th edition + OSR TTRPGs

I can never have enough short adventures in my GM's "Go-To" Folder. Whether needed on short notice or simply to inspire some creativity, having something ready to go is priceless. The NPCs & Adventures for D&D - 5e and OSR Kickstarter looks like it will fill that bill admirably and for only 13 bucks American!

What you will find inside STRANGERS:

  • 10 Unique NPCs with fleshed-out backgrounds, wants, and needs.
  • 10 Story driven adventures tied to each NPC.
  • Maps, items, and sprawling conclusions for future games.
  • As with all my previous adventure-based books, my aim is to design easy-to-implement adventures, to fit all play styles, where the objective can be completed in 2 to 4 hours of playtime.

This book will ONLY be released digitally! There will be no print runs of this book in the future.

 



The Tavern
 is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. 

DTRPGAmazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on AnchorYouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar 

Monday, February 20, 2023

PWYW - Monolith (OSR SciFi)

Its been a while since I covered a new PWYW release, and good things come to those that wait ;)


Monolith is a table-heavy, stat-light OSR-inspired sci-fi RPG, that appears, upon quick inspection, to be fairly flexible in its focus with little implied setting. When I say table heavy, the book is mostly tables, but they can easily be used as a resource with the sci-fi game of your choice.

The price is certainly right :)

Monolith is a Science fiction adventure game for one Game Master (GM) and at least one other player. Players act as daring adventurers exploring a vast & mysterious galaxy filled with weird aliens, lost worlds, and ruthless factions. Inspired by old school role-playing games.

What's Inside?

  • Rules-lite mechanics and procedures inspired by Cairn, Into the Odd, Knave, and other OSR games.
  • 12 backgrounds for PC and quick character creation (or optional stat-aligned gear packs).
  • Rules for starships, psionics, weird space powers, experimental weapons and technology, ancient artifacts, factions, quick planet generation & inspiration, and more.


The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. 

DTRPGAmazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on AnchorYouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar 

Sunday, February 19, 2023

Humble Bundle - 2000 AD Character Spotlight (Comics)


I think I've mentioned this before, but I'm a huge fan of digital comics. If you had asked a younger me if that would ever be the case, I'd have scoffed. The thing is, as an adult, I no longer have the space to store endless comics, and the superhero comics I read in my youth no longer interest me in any case. 2000 AD has ALWAYS interested me, and I jump on the various 2000 AD collections when they show up on Humble Bundle the moment they appear.

It's 18 bucks for the 2000 AD Character Spotlight Bundle, and you get 34 releases, ranging from Judge Dread to Slaine and beyond. I do believe the Absalom Collection appeared in a prior bundle, but that's a small quibble. You can buy a smaller, and cheaper, bundle, but I do think $18 is by far the best value with months of reading in your future.






The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. 

DTRPGAmazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on AnchorYouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar 

Friday, February 17, 2023

Kickstarter - Dark Wizard Games: Fantasy Folder #1 - Dungeon Demon (bunch of PDF goodness as a $1 backer)

RPG Folder used with OSRIC / 1E / 5E / D&D / DCC / Pathfinder / role-playing games or anyone who loves fantasy folders!

Pledge a buck, get all of the following:

WITH ANY MINIMUM PLEDGE OF $1.00 or more, you will also get FREE PDF copies of our Maximum Mayhem Dungeons #1: Hanging  Coffins of the Vampire Queen (a full 36 page "fun house" style 1E  module) and Maximum Mayhem Dungeons #5: Palace of the Dragon's Princess  (a full 44 page "role-playing" style 1E module) normally a $20 value for those two PDFS on our website! 

Everyone will also get all of the "Digital Extras" which includes: A PDF of 27 Themed Character Sheets, a ZIP file of 6 Mayhem Posters printable in 18 x 24 size: Vampire Queen cover, Star Spawn cover, Villains Undercity cover, Dwarven King cover,  Dwarven King inner cover and Monsters of Mayhem cover, a PDF of Fifty-Six 1E Pre-Generated Characters, A PDF of Three Playable BW Maps with Four 1E Pre-Generated Characters, A PDF of Single Bonus Dungeon Map Color and BW, a PDF of Eight 1e Pre-Generated Characters, and a PDF of Eight 5e Pre-Generated!

All this as a special thanks for kicking in a buck to help support my books and projects and heck it, ALL of these above mentioned PDFS will be delivered in the FIRST PROJECT UPDATE once we reach our $500 goal and each update after that in case you miss one!


What's the actual Kickstarter? Dark Wizard Games: Fantasy Folder #1 - Dungeon Demon. You actually get 3 very cool-looking folders (that's the front-back image above). Hell, I can use them for my tax records if nothing else, and at 15 bucks they are a bargain! Did I mention you get everything above, too?



The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. 

DTRPGAmazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on AnchorYouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar 


Thursday, February 16, 2023

Bundle of Holding - Godbound (OSR)

Kevin Crawford is a "can't miss" RPG Creator.

We've resurrected our April 2020 Godbound Bundle featuring Godbound, Kevin Crawford's tabletop fantasy roleplaying game of heroic demigods forging a new world from the Uncreated Night. The Throne of Heaven stands empty, and a pantheon of mortals newly bound to the Words of Creation faces a land ravaged by madmen and fools. Godbound characters start play as legendary powers, facing fearsome god-monsters, legions of sorcerers, and bitter angels. And using the system-neutral tools like those in Kevin's Stars Without Number, a Gamemaster can create noble courts, lost shards of Heaven, and terrifying foes worthy of these exalted heroes.

This revival helps promote the Kickstarter campaign in progress for Godbound designer Kevin Crawford's new cyberpunk SFRPG Cities Without Number, which promises more of the gamemastering tools that make Kevin's games widely popular.

This comprehensive revival once again brings you the entire Godbound line for an unbeatable bargain price. For just US$5.95 you get both titles in this revived offer's Starter Collection (retail value $25) as DRM-free ebooks: the complete 214-page Godbound Deluxe Edition core rulebook and the introductory adventure Ten Buried Blades.

And if you pay more than the threshold price of $17.13, you'll level up and also get this revival's entire Bonus Collection with four more titles worth an additional $38, including Lexicon of the Throne (new Words of Creation and rules for creating religions), Ancalia: The Broken Towers (gazetteer), and Sixteen Sorrows (a handbook of dire calamities), plus the full-length adventure Storms of Yizhao.


The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. 

DTRPGAmazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on AnchorYouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar 

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Kickstarter - Advanced Ancient Academy (OSE/OSR)

It's that time of the year at Kickstarter - ZineQuest is here!

For our first ZineQuest entry, we are going to take a look at Advanced Ancient Academy by Stuart Robertson. Mike and I just had Stuart on Talking Crit, our weekly Wednesday Night Youtube Livestream.

Advanced Ancient Academy has its roots in a one-page dungeon submission from a decade or so ago, and via the Advanced Ancient Academy Kickstarter it is growing to full zine size :)

Advanced Ancient Academy is a dungeon adventure zine for Old School Essentials, suitable for a party of low level adventurers. Filled with bandits, cultists, goblins, and skeletons, Advanced Ancient Academy is designed to be an introduction for new players, or the foundation for a new campaign for veteran gamers. As our kickstarter funding progresses there is the potential to unlock more content, turning the zine into a mini mega-dungeon, and even a small campaign setting.

The original Ancient Academy was published a decade ago as part of the One Page Dungeon contest, as an experiment in packing the most dungeon I could onto a single sheet of paper. Most of my original notes for the adventure had to be condensed to the absolute minimum, with many rooms only having 7 or 8 word descriptions. A great deal of the mystery behind the academy could only be hinted at with a few random objects I could squeeze in alongside the functional details of the 39 locations in the adventure.

The adventure has been downloaded thousands of times over the years, and often recommended as a good starting adventure for new campaigns. The one recurring complaint that I see, usually by people unfamiliar with the original contest, is that it's too terse and they would enjoy more details. When I've run this adventure for my own players it's been with those extra details that other games are missing. I'm sure dungeon masters have expanded the game in their own ways, but I've always felt I could have expressed my original intention better without the one-page format.

 

 The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. 

DTRPGAmazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on AnchorYouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar  


Monday, February 13, 2023

Bundle of Holding - The One Ring™ 2E

I own the Starter Set of The One Ring 2e as a physical box, and it is a thing of beauty. The fact that it is written by our community's very own James Spahn is simply icing on the cake.

Well, I may already own the Start Set in physical, but I'd love to have it in PDF for my iPad. Solo rules with Strider Mode? I'm sold :)

The One Ring Starter Collection is $12.95 in PDF.

Adventurer! The One Ring™ Starter Bundle brings you .PDF ebooks of The One Ring Starter Set and recent supplements for The One Ring tabletop roleplaying game from Sophisticated Games and Free League Publishing. Explore the Shire as the hobbits whose children will go on to do extraordinary things, such as Drogo Baggins, Rory Brandybuck, and Esmeralda Took. With streamlined rules, ready-made characters, and a tight focus, The One Ring Starter Set makes it easy for new (and maybe younger) players to take their first steps into JRR Tolkien's Middle-earth.

The One Ring Starter Set Shire mapFor just US$12.95 you get all three digital downloads in our The One Ring Starter Collection (retail value $35) as DRM-free ebooks, including the complete The One Ring Starter Set, the Loremaster's Screen and Rivendell Compendium, and Strider™ Mode, a rules expansion for solitaire roleplaying across northern Eriador.

 The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. 

DTRPGAmazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on AnchorYouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar  

Review - The Kakondo (DCC RPG Creature)



I don't do a large number of reviews at The Tavern. I feel there are others that specialize in doing such and do a much better job than I do at it. Still, there are times I do a review, usually because something about the release impresses me or stands out. In the case of The Kakondo, a creature for the DCC RPG (but easily converted to the OSR system of your choice - I plan to convert this to Continual Light) what stands out is the personal perspective of the author.

The Kakondo is a legendary creature that the author, Ashraf Braden of Uganda, recalls from the days of his schooling. While there is some awkwardness in Ashraf's writing, it is authentic, and I have no complaints. You get a page of descriptive text and a page of DCC RPG stats, abilities, and a new weapon detailed. As I said above, I already have plans to convert this to the system of my choice.

The Kakando is priced at a buck, which I think is fairly priced for what you get. What you give with your purchase, I think, is even more valuable - you empower a young man to share more of his local legends and history. I eagerly await future releases and wish to thank Bob Brinkman for bringing this young man to my attention.

All Sanctum Media proceeds from this product go directly to the writer, Ashraf Braden. Ashraf is an aspiring game designer and author living near Kampala in Uganda.

In the areas around Kampala, it is not uncommon for workers to make as little as $2/day. By purchasing this product, you are contributing to Ashraf’s ability to be able to continue to write and design games by allowing him the financial breathing room to do so. 

 

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. 

DTRPGAmazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on AnchorYouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar 

Sunday, February 12, 2023

Stop Soldier Suicide: 30 Hours of Gaming Challenge

Stop Soldier Suicide: 30 Hours of Gaming Challenge

If you're a veteran or service member in crisis, please call 844-907-1338

I just found out about this challenge and I'm trying to figure out how to work this on my end because I'm TDY to a remote location working with, and for, a group of soldiers as that's what my day job entails. I have a couple gamers with me, but they're of the video game type and our internet kind of sucks here....well sucks as far as online gaming goes.

I'm going to talk with "my guys" and see if we can work some kind of 30 hour game marathon here taking shifts (if needed) and maybe see if we can get a fundraiser going....probably for next weekend.

Some of you might know that I was enlisted for eight years in the Air Force where I actually lived and worked with the Army as a TACP. I became and ETAC (they're called JTACs now) and it isn't an easy job or life. There is a reason I got out at eight years instead of doing my 20 like I planned. I will acknowledge that I'm broken, mentally and physically, in a few ways. Not a pity-party request, just stating a fact that is shared by many, many Veterans. It takes a toll.

I don't think any of us don't have a buddy (or three) that hasn't taken their own life, or had a go at it themselves. IIRC the statistic is not 22 a day, but closer to 17 and our rates are 57% higher than the civilian populace. This problem is really only acknowledged in someone's passing, but we rarely (if ever) talk about the larger problem. At best we hear, "I wish <brother> would have reached out to me." It isn't something that we talk about and if a Veteran needs this kind of help, we're not apt to burden each other with our problems even though we'd do anything to help someone else. It's a huge disparity that really doesn't get acknowledged. Realistically if a Veteran needs help they need someone else to reach out to.

You'd think that the Veteran's Administration would be on top of the mental health game, but at least in my experience they kind of suck. Note: I had a couple paragraph's of rant here that I deleted.

So USAA (coincidentally my bank and insurer) has kind of stepped up and initiated this Stop Soldier Suicide campaign, and they have a number of challenges this month and next:

Now of these challenges, the Gaming Challenge is right up our alley. I really wish I had more advance notice on this so I could've planned something better, but there is still some time.

The last time I saw a Facebook Challenge about Veteran Suicides it was that lame 22 push-up thing. Yes I called it lame because 99% of what I saw was people doing push-ups on Instagram with no real ambition for results. They weren't raising money or promoting anything other than themselves. 

This go-around USAA barely has their name on it and it's much more than just a generic "awareness" campaign. There's a no-shit 501(c)3 setup that has been verified by the DoD as "candid", which is HUGE if you've ever taken part in a Combined Federal Campaign before. This group is actually trying to do something and I think we, as a community, can get involved. There are a couple of ways....

1st, since this is also an "awareness campaign", just share the info. Everyone needs to know these guys exist and if a Veteran is in crisis they can call 844-907-1338 for help...and it isn't the VA. For the record though the VA's Crisis line is 988 in the US. Regiment is giving away a gaming PC here and I'm surprised that none of the entry links seem to encourage word-of-mouth promotions, but there is a lot to be learned about the organization.

2nd, and this is hand-in-hand with the 1st thing, go ahead and follow Stop Soldier Suicide on Facebook. The more attention they get there, the easier it will be to get their message out and about. I only learned about these guys today and I'm certain there are those that need to have this name & number.

3rd is just straight-up support. I'll do what I can to get something together in the next 24 hours and will post the details here, but that doesn't stop any of you from getting a group together to do something. Hold a 30 hour gaming session (or group of sessions) and take up a collection....a six person group doing a quarter per person per hour would be $45 (just saying....). Sure donations would be great, but really even just doing the 1st and 2nd thing would be big.

Saturday, February 11, 2023

Kickstarter - BURN 2d6 Core Rulebook -- an indie RPG system

With the recent OGL drama, we've seen a bump in new game systems releasing their own SRDs and using Creative Commons licensing. BURN 2d6 is one of those systems, and I know the project's artist, and you might too. Craig Brasco does some amazing work and has donated some to The Tavern.

I tend to like short, concise rulesets (SWL anyone?) and BURN 2D6 comes in at 64 pages and covers four genres: Pulp Era, Space Opera, Myth & Magic, and SUPERS.

I'm in :)

(next week expect me to catch up on some reviews that have been in the hopper but haven't been gotten to because of, well, time issues) - Tenkar

BURN 2d6 is a flexible system with a unique BURN mechanic that keeps the game moving and allows for a complete adventure to be run by the Moderator in a single short session! Ever get a group together with limited time, perhaps late at night at a convention? Or want to introduce folks to roleplaying games? With BURN 2d6 you can get to the fun in moments and play a complete adventure in 90 minutes. The system also promotes and encourages character progression and campaign play.

We will produce an at least 64-page Core Rulebook (6.14" x 9.21") in full color for the BURN 2d6 roleplaying game system. The text is 100% written and being edited as you read this. Your support will help us to complete the art and layout. This project does not use AI art. All the art is being commissioned from two real live artists (see the team described below). We will have the finished product sent to backers in June 2023. 

BURN 2d6 will be distributed under a Creative Commons (CC BY-SA) license. This is an original indie rpg system. We hope that you will support indie creators like us by making a pledge.



 

 The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. 

DTRPGAmazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on AnchorYouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar 

Friday, February 10, 2023

Bundle of Holding - Worlds of 2D20

I must admit, I own none of the titles included in the Worlds of 2D20 Bundle of Holding, yet there are a number IPs I'd love to own as RPGs. Dune, Fallout, Star Trek, and John Carter of Mars. I'm in!

Adventurer! This new Worlds of 2d20 Bundle gathers .PDF ebooks of many tabletop roleplaying games that use the 2d20 System rules from Modiphius Entertainment, including Dune, Dishonored, Fallout, Star Trek Adventures, Achtung! Cthulhu, Infinity, and John Carter of Mars, all for an unbeatable bargain price. This offer promotes the new Modiphius 2d20 World Builders Community Content Program through DriveThruRPG. 2d20 World Builders lets you design and sell your own complete 2d20-based games, supplements, characters, and more.

For just US$14.95 you get all three complete rulebooks in our 2d20 Starter Collection (retail value $67) as DRM-free ebooks, including Dishonored: The Roleplaying Game, the Infinity RPG, and John Carter of Mars, as well as the free 2d20 System Reference Document you'll want if you join the World Builders program.

Star Trek Adventures core rulebookAnd if you pay more than the threshold price of $39.97, you'll level up and also get our entire 2d20 Bonus Collection with eight more titles worth an additional $138, including the complete Dune: Adventures in the Imperium core rulebook; the Achtung! Cthulhu 2d20 Player's Guide and Gamemaster's Guide; the Star Trek Adventures corebook; the Fallout Starter Set; the Dishonored Gamemaster Toolkit; the John Carter of Mars Phantoms Campaign Guide; and Infinity: Adventures in the Human Sphere.

Your purchase includes a unique, one-use 30% discount code, good through 30 March 2023, on purchases of any or all of six qualifying print rulebooks at either the Modiphius UK webstore or its US webstore. Your unique discount code and full details will appear near the top of your Worlds of 2d20 Wizard's Cabinet download page on this site.


 

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. 

DTRPGAmazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on AnchorYouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar 

Thursday, February 9, 2023

Bundle of Holding - Delver Lost Tomes (OSE)

As a seat-of-the-pants style DM, bundles like Delver Lost Tomes for OSR style are the type of resources I love. For less than 10 bucks, it's a no-brainer for me.

Adventurer! This Delver Lost Tomes Quick Deal gathers a dragon hoard of dungeon maps and random tables from The Tabletop Engineer for the Old-School Essentials tabletop fantasy roleplaying game and other Old School Revival RPGs. Use these play aids before or during your game sessions to generate quick side quests, nonplayer character hirelings, magical treasures, and spur-of-the-moment colorful details about any sword, skeleton, trap, tome, brazier, blessing, scroll, song, map, Wanted poster, or owlbear that suddenly appears on the scene.

Delver Book of Tombs page 28Tabletop Engineer mastermind James Floyd Kelly edits the popular OSR magazine Delver, a rich source of scenarios, tables, maps, and play aids. This new offer, which includes the first two issues of Delver, promotes James's Delver issue 7 Kickstarter campaign in progress. Check it out!

For just US$9.95 you get all seven titles in our Lost Tomes Collection (retail value $54) as DRM-free ebooks, including all four Tomes supplements – Lost Adventures, Lost Artifacts, Lost Hirelings, and Lost Pages; the recent Book of Tombs; and Delver Magazine issue #1 and issue #2, both previously in our April 2022 Old-School Essentials Treasures.

 

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. 

DTRPGAmazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on AnchorYouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar 

Wednesday, February 8, 2023

E. Gary Gygax Probate Case Update

 No further details:


Here's the text:

01-26-2023

10:01 a.m., Court in session.  Attorney Joseph A Kromholz in court for Lucion Gygax.  Attorney Jennifer M Gorn in court for Lucion Gygax.  Attorney Theodore Nathan Johnson in court for Gail Carpenter Gygax.  Personal Representative Steven A. Koch in court. 

Parties have reached an agreement.  

Attorney Johnson will provide information to Attorney Koch regarding largest item sold.  Other issues will be held in abeyance.  Mediation date has been scheduled.

Future court dates remain as scheduled.

10:03 a.m., Court in recess.

Link: https://wcca.wicourts.gov/caseDetail.html?caseNo=2020PR000058&countyNo=64&index=0&fbclid=IwAR2wyvHmw3wvviheAQmLU02VGjyhe09GY3oac4s1sLGVRtRgq48TLEHeA2k#records



The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. 

DTRPGAmazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on AnchorYouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar  

Tenkar's Tavern is supported by various affiliate programs, including Amazon, RPGNow,
and Humble Bundle as well as Patreon. Your patronage is appreciated and helps keep the
lights on and the taps flowing. Your Humble Bartender, Tenkar

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